Lost Blood
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Set in the world of Trinity Blood, Neferet is plotting to take over the post-Apocalyptic world through a cross-species war between Methuselah, Vampyres, Vampires, and Vampaneze. The struggle is potent between two crucial women Kurai and Reiko, tovaras to the end—or are they? Trinity Blood/Cirque du Freak/House of Night
1. False Prophet

2400 AD

Istvan

It was a quiet night in the city known as the Pearl of the Danube, silent except for the sounds of the creatures out there, feeding. Kurai, a small child of a Methuselah family who had yet to go through the Change, whimpered in the small black car, unsure why they would break a two hundred year treaty in such a violent way-but knowing they could smell fear.

The holo-screen in the dashboard turned on automatically, a sign that this was, indeed, an emergency.

"We apologize for the interruption. There seems..."

Puzzled, Kurai poked at the dashboard screen. It flickered back to life, the Vatican reporter looking positively terrified.

"...vampires turning feral. They are known as Red Vampires. Any Vampire who dies will now be subject to what is being called the Curet Bacillus, turning them into mindless killers. We have live footage..."

It flickered again. _Feral...as in, losing their minds? That doesn't make sense!_

When the picture returned, it was of a normal looking vampire with _red_ markings coloring its face. It was devouring a human being.

"Again, I would like to remind all citizens of Albion that a mass evacuation has been called. Do not come near the Reds. They are no longer sentient beings."

The monitor on the dashboard fizzled again. Dr Iyumi Fortuna, Kurai's father, led the 12-year-old fully Changed Methusalah Ion, Kurai's brother, to the large, bulky 20th Century equivalent car. Following them was Radu Barvon, Ion's _tovaras_ that he had insisted they not leave behind.

Kurai turned the dial on the monitor.

"Stay away from quarantined areas such as Londinium and Carthage. The Reds will-"

The signal died completely and a loud siren sounded. Cries could be heard in the streets as people began to panic. _Is this the second apocalypse?_

A small, equally ugly black car drove and parked behind them. Dr Toshio Asran and his wife Dr Astharoshe Asran stepped out of the car. Asthe lifted out of the car Reiko Asran, Kurai's best friend.

Kurai moved to leave the car and go out to meet her, but Kurai's mother, Dr Kanawa Fortuna, stopped her.

The Asran family hid in the back of the Fortuna's car as they drove to Father's research facility. Kurai was five. The Earth was filled with nightmares now.

Satellite 475 was their only chance.

2900 AD

Sattilite 475

Kanawa waited in distress for her husband's return. Lately he had been going to the other side of the facility alone for hours, although sometimes he would bring with him Kurai. He often muttered 'Almost time, almost' to himself.

Her blue eyes widened in fear. She faulted herself, of course, for not coming up with a cure herself-it had made Iyumi desperate, a man obsessed. The Enemy capitalized on that. That enemy whose name she was not permitted to speak in front of Asthe, who had lost so much...

In this case, there was too much at stake. If they failed to cure the Curet Bacillus, they would die-no, they would destroy each other.

3050 AD

Island of Beloved Children

Empire

"To thank him for his gift of life to our people, we present the title of Vizier to Dr Iyumi Fortuna!"

Kurai stared up at the green veiled Empress, awarding _him_ for saving the methuselah. Kurai was aware that the Empress did not actually trust him, but the phrase 'know thine enemy' came to mind. She wanted him close so she could keep an eye on him.

The Empress was actually the Head High Priestess of a group of all the High Priestesses in the covens of Methuselah—also called vampyres, by terrans—that made up her Council. She was strong and powerful.

Someday when Kurai went through the Change, she wanted to become a Methuselah like the Empress. Or like Mother or Nii-san. Kurai's older brother Ion was a Tracker. He went forth throughout the Empire and Outside World and Marked future Methuselah. They then retreated to the Empire until they either made the Change or died. If they made the Change, some left the Empire to return to the Outside again. Rarely.

Kurai's blue eyes flicked through her dark bangs, and caught a glimpse of her Father recieving his powerful title and smirking and relishing it.

Yes yes, revel in your 'discovery'. Was it worth what you did? I'm so mad I could-

_"_Sister?" The innocent eyes of Ion, her elder brother, softened Kurai's features.

"Yes, we apologize for worrying thee, dear brother," Kurai said evenly. "But we cannot forgive him."

"Come now, Kurai, Ion," Mother stood. "Thy father is a good man."

In other words, 'he must remain a good man in the the public eye'. The red virus almost caused another war between the Empire and the Outside. It was contained because we were so quick with our 'cure'. But if we tell them what happened up there—

There was a loud siren like whistle, and something hurt so bad I could feel my bones crying. Then all was still again.

My tovaras, Reiko, interrupted my thoughts. The ceremony was over. "The Empress has asked that thee join us in a confidential mission Outside. Ion shall join at some point, but we cannot reveal anything further. We shall divulge the rest when safely Outside the Empire."

I raised a dark eyebrow. Unlike Ion, I have the dark hair of our mother. My tovaras has blonde hair with red tips, rather like Asthe, her mother.

"The Orden hast made my father a powerful man," I said in a dull voice. "This mission...shall it bring forth vengeance?"

Reiko's lips curled into a smile. "Oh thou hast no idea, Tovaras."

Neferet's long auburn hair was untied and shone the color of blood in the moonlight. She sat at the head of the table.

Two other men and a woman stood next to her. The woman was visibly shaking, and holding something. A red crescent adorned her brow. To most in the world, these people were called 'Rosencrutz Orden.'

"Did you find a reaction from the Curet Bacillus?" asked Neferet. "Well done. I knew it would be among those on the Island. It is _fortunate_ that all of those from the mission on Sattelite 425 are coming here to Istvan."

Dietrich sat idly next to the woman, who insisted she be called 'Goddess'. "The Curet reacted and stopped our transmission."

He showed the 'goddess' his findings of the radioactive reaction in the Empire after their broadcast. Neferet's smile widened.

"This world must follow our direction now," she grinned. "We must control the Curet, and with it, destroy the last vestiges of humankind's false utopia! And once we extinguish those threats, this world will be his once again!"

She spoke, of course, of their true leader, whom she had promised with her plans would be brought back from the Otherworld. She insisted on calling him 'Kalona' but to the others he was known simply as 'Cain' or 'Mein Herr'.

The six raised their glasses in a toast. "Igne natura renovatur integra!"


	2. Last Night

Graveyard

Istvan, Hungaria

Neferet's long auburn hair was untied and shone the color of blood in the moonlight. She stood in the cemetery of the small town and inhaled. She opened her right hand, and gestured into the darkness.

The shadows themselves rippled and followed her fingers, parting to reveal the hiding red fledgling. The girl, Maria, dropped to one knee, trembling. "Goddess…I have the blood you require."

Neferet took the three vials. Blood of Vampyre, Vampire, and Vampaneze. She poured the mixture on the graveyard soil.

The shadows pooled and became like a liquid. Before her was the shimmering naked visage of a winged man…no, god! Neferet reached out and spoke to him.

"Kalona my love, our plans will soon come to fruition," she smiled. "The Curet will be Marked by dawn."

Central Park

Larten Crepsley, Darren Shan, and Kurda Smahlt finished passing out flyers to the last person in line. Darren was in a bad mood. He was nervous and had a foreboding sensation that something terrible was coming.

This was his hometown. Something terrible could not come here! He suddenly understood why Crepsley had been so keen to catch Murlough so many years ago.

But this time he had to remember that he and Kurda were here as Princes. The War of the Scars could be won by whichever side won over the Vampyres.

The Vampyres were the ancient flipside of the Vampires and Vampaneze. Not related by blood, these creatures were born creatures of the night. They were led by female leadership. If Arra Sails was still alive, she would have been sent on this mission with Darren.

Neferet had assured the Vampire Council that she could bring Darren and Kurda to her Vampyre Council, as she herself had a seat, being a High Priestess.

Apparantly it was lucky her school was located in Darren's hometown. It was a great plan, a clever coincidence. Or destiny. And Darren hated Destiny.

Istvan Church

Kanawa Fortuna was now Bishop of Istvan Church. She worked for the Vatican, attempting to negotiate peace in the post-Apocolyptical world. Currently, she sat at the window, watching as a strange light crossed the sky, echoing in her blue childish eyes. Although she appeared twenty or so, the methuselah, or vampyres as humans called them, could live well past the normal age.

Kanawa's eyes clouded over with tears. She would not let them make her children into warriors...

Xxx

For a last night of peace, a blonde twin slept next to her dark haired sister. The girls were the only nuns at this church; Sister Rei (the blonde), and Sister Kurai (the ebony haired girl).

Sister Kurai's eyes were open, and watching the strange light in the sky. It was as if the universe was pressing at her mind to remember something vital.

Xxx

And even as these events occurred, a silver haired man named Abel Nightroad stood in the doorway of the home. He had been about to knock, but then he too, had seen that light-and a serious look crossed his face.

"Oh Lord, why must you bestow swords upon the young and the weak..."


	3. Ominous Moon

Istvan Church

Istvan, Hungaria

Ion Fortuna glared at Abel. "You were ordered by my Grandmother, Mirka Fortuna, High Priestess and member of the Vampyre Council, to assist me in my first ever Tracking mission, and you're already distracted!"

The blue crescent—filled in and surrounded by crossed swords—on Ion's forehead seemed to flash when he was angry. He gripped his hand in pain.

"Is the Tracker Mark causing you pain, Ion?" Abel asked, concerned.

"We are here," Ion said, pain easing as he entered the house, making short work of the human alarm system. The Fortuna family owned a large security company in this country. "Stay put, Abel."

Ion went into the living room and found his sister and her tovaras asleep on the couch. _No! This can't be right! An adult cannot be Marked. We are Marked during puberty. What is happening, Nyx?_

A soothing calm washed over him. His Tracker Mark eased and he held out his hand and spoke the incantation: "_Kurai Fortuna! Reiko Asran! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee, hearken to her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night."_

Ion was startled. The crescents both appeared on the foreheads of the Sisters, but his sister, Kurai, had tattoos already, though hers was not filled in!

Her tattoos resembled a strange design like fireworks or something. Ion couldn't remember where, but he had seen it somewhere before.

As he left, he touched the forehead of the blonde, feeling compelled. "Reiko Asran, beloved Priestess of Nyx, I ask you to accept my Warrior's Oath. Sworn to you this day I pledge to protect you with my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul. I pledge to belong to you before all others, and to be your Warrior until I draw my last breath on this world and beyond, if our Goddess so wills it. Do you accept my Oath?"

Reiko stirred. "I-Ion…it's you…of course I accept!"

They hugged, and then he explained that he had to get back to the House of Night, but he couldn't wait to see her there.

Ion left the house with his bodyguard Abel Nightroad, and headed to the nearest House of Night to report this to the High Priestess.

House of Night

Neferet finished her breakfast. It was early nighttime. The shadows pooled around her and danced, and she headed into the main hallway. This was her home, the House of Night, a sanctuary to new fledglings as they made their essential journey to the Empire. She was the High Priestess of the Methuselah in Istvan, and as it was a city on the border to the Empire, she met most new fledglings as they entered.

She was secretly the leader of the Rosencrutz and was inciting rebellion amongst the Istvan Methuselah. She had convinced Gyula, a methuselah noble living in Istvan, that his terran wife had been murdered by terrans. Now he hated the Church, which was the leader in Europe.

Neferet had her perfect chance to win. Now all she had to do was wait for one of those hideous monsters in the sewers to undergo the Change. Currently she was using them to cause death amongst the terrans and more chaos. The closer they were to war the better.

Eventually her sibling races, the vampires and vampaneze, would present themselves. She hoped to unite all vamps under herself as Goddess and her consort Kalona.

The Shadows had told her that her sacrifice to bring forth Kalona would present itself as a threat and she must extinguish it. She had no problem with this.

"Priestess," Ion said respectfully, bowing to Neferet as he met her in the Meeting Hall.

Abel sat quietly to one side, eyeing the shadows suspiciously. He made her more nervous than most. Could he see past her? Could he understand what she was planning?

"I have Marked a pair of sisters today," Ion continued. "Sister Kurai and Reiko Inoue. They are nuns."

"And?" Neferet said idly. "You mark a lot of people Ion."

"But these were adults," Ion protested. "And one girl, Kurai, was Marked with tattoos."

_A threat…keep your enemies close, _thought Neferet. "She will make an excellent High Priestess one day."

Neferet smiled. "Go Ion. You and Abel will escort these young women to the House of Night."

Istvan Church

Kurai woke on the couch and knew that she had to get to the House of Night and the Empire soon, along with Reiko. She looked down at Reiko and noticed she now had a greenish-red aura around her. Kurai looked out the window at the night and then saw something…someone. She felt dizzy suddenly and passed out.

A group of Red Fledglings argued while pointing at our church.

There was a pause as a man approached, human, but entwined in evil. "I can destroy that church for you."

Strings, a symbolism that I did not, as of yet, understand, followed this strange man, and suddenly the Reds were working with him.

Another pause and the vision changed to show the same man enter the office of a nearby high up methuselah-Gyula. "I can get your revenge for you."

The vision showed Gyula using the Reds granted him by the strange man to force Albion's Terrans into submission, leaving the methuselah in charge of the city.

Another shift and the strange man entered Gyula's chamber with my sister. Tears pouring from her cheeks, she raised her gun and shouted, "Igne natura renovatur integra!"

Kurai woke on the bed, a concerned stranger and Reiko staring at her. "Gomen! I ah...I think I fainted!"

"Yeah you fell right as Father Abel Nightroad here opened the door," Reiko said, brushing back a strand of blonde hair. "Lucky for you."

"Are you alright?" the Father asked, concern in his grey eyes. He had silver hair tied back in a ponytail. "You hit your head pretty hard."

"Ah," Kurai touched her forehead, remembering her tattoos. I have tattoos and a fledgling mark. I am one of a kind.

"Ane-ue..." Kurai spoke softly, directly at Rei. "Please take our guest to his room and inform him of the...dangers...of loitering around Istvan at night."

Father Nightroad began to protest, but when Reiko mentioned dinner, he was quick to leave. With a wink to Kurai, so was Rei.

Kurai's eyes flashed silver, as she tried to enhance her powers. Time to change the future_. _Kurai leapt from the church window, into the night.

Central Park

Kurai skidded to a stop in a clearing. There was a tall man with cropped red hair and a young man around my age standing passing out green flyers. Kurai walked forward.

"Can I see one please? I'll give it back," Kurai asked one of the people who had received one.

"Okay but you have to return it," the woman said. "I want to get my ticket."

The flyer said 'Cirque du Freak' on it and was covered with an ad about all the various acts in the cirque. But the curious thing was the design. It was _plastered on Kurai's forehead!_

Kurai handed the flyer back and her eyes met with the young man handing them out. He had brown eyes and dark hair. He was watching her.

Kurai had things to do. She had never hunted down Reds before, so she was scared. But she didn't want her home to be destroyed either.

Kurai entered a clearing, swinging down from a tree and kicking down one of the Reds.

"How dare you!" cried the second Red.

"You have conspired to destroy the church of Istvan." Kurai whispered, holding out her hand and calling forth the element of Spirit that she had an affinity toward.

One of the Reds ran forward and would have taken her down but—a man was suddenly between them. It was the dark haired man from the Cirque! With the strength and speed of a methuselah, he stabbed out at her with his knife-sharp nails.

The Red collapsed and bled out. "Vampire…"

Kurai doubled back, but the man wasn't done, he grabbed the other Red and held her up. "Who are you working for?!"

The Red coughed up blood and stared at him. "Dietrich von Lohengrin."

The Vampire tried to stab the Red, but Kurai grabbed his arm. "She told you. Let her go!"

The vampire looked at her, sighed, and released the Red, looking angry. The Red scampered off. "It's just going to destroy your church."

"Who are you?" Kurai asked, having never met a vampire before.

"Darren Shan," the vampire answered, then flitted away.

Father Abel Nightroad appeared in the moonlight and took Kurai's hand. "Sister Kurai. You are no longer safe here. You'll be a priestess soon."

Kurai was angry at this and tried to pull away.

"It's not like that," the Father said quietly, and knelt, fisting a hand over his heart. "Kurai Fortuna, beloved Priestess of Nyx, I ask you to accept my Warrior's Oath. Sworn to you this day I pledge to protect you with my heart, my mind, my body, and my soul. I pledge to belong to you before all others, and to be your Warrior until I draw my last breath on this world and beyond, if our Goddess so wills it. Do you accept my Oath?"

Kurai stared at him, dumbstruck. "I'm no Priestess…"

"You will be," Father Nightroad said. "I'm waiting."

"I accept."


	4. Requiem

Istvan Church

Istvan, Hungaria

Rei woke to the blistering light of the sun in her eyes. It was hard to sleep at night ever since she had been Marked. She was lucky, though. Until she made the Change she could enjoy the rays of the sun on her face without risk of death.

She stood, catching sight of Bishop Kanawa, the overseer of Istvan church, and her adopted mother, since she had not seen her own mother in ages. Mother's deep crimson eyes gazed at Rei. Mother always knew when her daughter was up to something.

"You have been seeing that Dietrich fellow again," she said in her soft voice. "Is he your boyfriend, Rei?"

Rei shook her head. "No! Of course not! We both have the same dream, Mother."

Mother tilted her head, considering the young girl's words. "And what is your dream, little one?"

"To see Istvan the way it was!" Rei shouted, feeling her voice rise in anger. "When the streets were lit and the Terrans and Methuselah coexisted!"

"Sister Reiko!" scolded Mother. "You are a nun; you should not be biased or judgemental."

There was a knock at the door. Rei realized that Father Nightroad, Ion, and Kurai were still sleeping, and so she went to recieve the visitor. "Dietrich!"

He caught her hand in his. "It's good to see you again, Sister Rei. I have something you'll want to see."

Central Park

After a short ride on the Istvan streetcar, they arrived at the park. It was taped off by the police examiners, but the crime scene had not been touched. Rei's eyes widened at the display.

A methuselah lay in carnage; ripped to peices. No mere Terran could do something like this. Was it another methuselah?

"It is obvious what has begun," Dietrich said softly. "Our rebellion has stronger supporters than we realize, people who share our dream."

He clutched Rei's hand tightly, and then suddenly-there was a loud explosion. She turned in horror as the dream became a nightmare. Her precious home-the church of Istvan-was on fire.

Istvan Church

Father Abel Nightroad opened his eyes and winced slightly at the sting of his own singed flesh.

Damn, he thought. I told Ion that Gyula was a wild-card. He must have done this as revenge for the slaughter of the Red. Probably mad that he can't fool the townspeople anymore.

He then realized something else: something far worse. The only sound in the burning church was that of crackling flames. There were no screams or cries for help.

No...does this mean Bishop Kanawa and Sister Kurai are already dead? After only a moment with her...I've lost Kurai already?!

He coughed, trying to ease his panic, and took off his Vatican jacket. For some reason, that damned thing was always catching on fire or something.

Father Nightroad ran to Kurai's room and was relieved to find that her sleeping form was protected by a very powerful barrier. _That's my Kurai._

He touched her forehead and she released the barrier and he picked her up, pulling her close. He then let out a deep breath, just now realizing that he had been holding it for quite a while. Kurai's body was warm, but just human warm, not burnt.

At that moment, Abel heard a scream. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him to the center of the church.

xxx

When Rei saw the blaze she ran in instantly. She knew her sister and mother were going to die if she didn't fight, so Rei pulled away from Dietrich and ran into the halls of her home. She heard his steps echo behind her as he tried to keep up.

Rei made it at last to the grand hall, where mother, as the Bishop, would console the poor and weary, and give sermons on Sundays. There were no men in Istvan brave enough to pastor a church. But mother was fierce and never afraid.

Nothing could have prepared Rei for what she saw.

The cross that adorned the back of the building had been yanked off, and Bishop Kanawa had been tied to it in her nightgown. Anger burned in her eyes for the person who harmed her home, and her family.

Rei gasped, willing herself not to vomit. Father Nightroad entered the hall, and his eyes narrowed in fury at what had been done to the Bishop, but he did not say a word. He was holding Kurai in his arms.

Suddenly Kurai sprang to her feet as if she sensed it all on her own, and screamed, a loud cry of agony.

"Cur…et.." Bishop Kanawa spoke her last word.

Rei reached for her mother. "Mother I-"

She was cut short as the Bishop exploded, knocking her to the floor, and blood and flames painted the building.

"MOTHER!" Rei screamed her name, crawling towards the wreckage and bloodstained cross where her body had been.

Rei heard someone clapping. Dietrich von Lohengrin stood before her, though she did not know how.

"A girl that I truly came to love," he whispered. "Passion and denial all rolled up into such pathetic naivete. I pitied you, then loved you. Run fast little curet. Or you will burn too."

Kurai suddenly lifted Rei. She never knew Kurai was so strong. Rei noticed that Kurai's body was different that day. Rei was sobbing, but Kurai and Father Nightroad were silent except for Kurai's first outburst. Her eyes were cold.

And Father Nightroad's blazed with fury.

Rei's heart ached as the fire died away. She felt herself die inside. The girl who was a Sister, a nun, at a small church. The girl who naively thought she alone could start a revolution with no consequence. That girl died.

Rei's eyes matched her sisters' now. Cold. Sorrowful. These thoughts echoed as she clutched her hands close to her chest. _Curet. What did Mother mean? Does Gyula have the answer? I will make him tell me._


	5. Star of Sorrow

Gyula's Mansion

Istvan, Hungaria

Ion ate his dinner silently. He knew the order had come from Gyula to burn down the church of Istvan, and to be honest, he was worried. He was working undercover to keep anyone from murdering Gyula, as he was innocent in all this, and Ion was the only one besides Dietrich who knew how to reprogram the Star.

But he hoped it wouldn't come to that. Father Nightroad was supposed to bring the new recruits that he had Marked here to reason with Gyula. One of them, the younger sister Rei, was the leader of the rebellion.

I knew I should have gone myself, Ion thought, picking at his potatoes. I'm tired of this dehydrated food.

"Are the coordinates set, Ion?" Gyula asked. "I want to be certain it hits the Central Vatican."

"Yes, of course, Lord Gyula," Ion replied. "I set it perfectly. We tested it on an uninhabited island off the coast two nights ago. It performed just as planned. We can set it off tonight, right on schedule. Tonight the rebellion will come for you in response to the arson of Istvan Church."

"They have no proof," Gyula replied. "And I will always have an army at my disposal."

"Think again," A woman in a nun's habit, whom Ion recognized as his sister Kurai, leapt from the candalabra onto the table. Her boot broke Ion's plate. It was all he could do not to crack a smile. What an ebony haired drama queen! "For your crimes against the city of Istvan and its people, you will be punished."

She stared at Gyula with cold eyes gilded with tears of loss. Then the door slammed open. Kurai gasped at the sight of her tovaras Reiko running and cocking a gun, aimed at Gyula.

"SISTER NO!" screamed Kurai, jumping in between the shot. But she was far too late, and Gyula crumpled to the floor, the silver bullet poisoning his blood.

Xxx

Two men entered the room, silent and unseen. They were vampires, and they had tracked the Reds here. Dietrich was working for Gyula so they had to make sure he died.

Kurda watched as the blonde, who smelled better than anyone else in the room, killed Gyula with one shot. She should be taught that not even Methuselah use ranged weapons.

Ion, the young-looking Methuselah, stood and spoke evenly. "Where is Father Nightroad?" He directed the question at the trigger-happy blonde, keeping his hand at his hip where his sword was located, in case she aimed her gun at him.

"I-I just knocked him out," she whispered, dropping the gun to the marble floor and falling to her knees. Blood started to rush out of her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She reached out and held Gyula, sobbing, blood staining his skin. "I didn't mean…to kill you…"

"SISTER!" screamed Kurai, the dark haired one that Darren seemed fixated on. "Ion save her! She has to survive the Change!"

Small plants grew around the dying Reiko.

Father Nightroad, the tall priest, pulled Kurai and Ion away from their dead friend, knowing that they had barely any time to save the Vatican.

Kurda knew their names because he visited the Church often. He had been saddened when Bishop Kanawa Fortuna died, although he knew she was an Empire spy, as were Reiko and Kurai. But Reiko was so young. She mustn't die this way.

Kurda knelt and took Reiko in his arms.

"What are you doing Kurda?!" screamed Darren.

Yes, normally other vampires blood was poisonous. But methusalah blood was safe.

Kurda drained her, and took her spirit, the plants around him blossoming into blood red roses.

Xxx

Kurai stood shaking next to Father Nightroad in the basement control room. It was tracking a sattelite the size of the moon called the 'Star of Sorrow'. It was programmed to destroy the Vatican.

Kurai knew that if this happened, the lives of thousands of people that called that place sanctuary would be lost.

With a quick tap she called up the main screen, activating the override menu.

"This is my part," Father Nightroad smiled, pushing her hands away lightly as his hands flew over the keys, typing in an indiscernible code.

After a moment, the alarm gave way and the Star exploded in the sky in glorious fireworks.

"All done," Father Nightroad said.

Xxx

There was suddenly a loud sound upstairs. Kurai looked at Ion and suddenly they both ran up, afraid of what they would find. Kurai ran into her brother's back and pushed him a little until she saw why.

Gyula's body lay untouched on the floor in a pool of blood. But Reiko's body seemed to be moving all on its own. The tattoos were turning red!

"No!" Kurai lifted her weapon, but was unable to fire on her own sister.

Reiko's body completed the transformation, and her eyes stared at Kurai, then she bit down on Gyula and ate his flesh in front of them. Kurai wanted to cover her eyes, she didn't want to see the blood-stained monster of a Red her sister had become, but she couldn't move.

Reiko fled from the scene when she finished, and Father Nightroad lit the building on fire, pulling Kurai and Ion along.

"B-B-But why?!" Kurai stammered. "Why would you-?"

"If the church hadn't burned down...I'd have done the same to the Bishop when she was suffering that way," Father Nightroad said softly, but his voice broke.

"But what gives you the right to-"

"Because!" Father Nightroad shouted. "Can you honestly say that no one would ever wish for him to come back? Even as a Red? He might have relatives or friends that feel this way! And then-if he was a Red-could you really make yourself go through this AGAIN! I can't-I won't-do that to you! Even I...might wish to save him, and not kill him…because I'm sorry..."

It was my turn to sink to my knees. Uncharacteristic tears fell down my cheeks. Sure, I cried sometimes. Everyone does. But I had always cried alone—never around others.

"We all do that," Ion said softly, surprising me. I hadn't noticed him approach. "Wish to save people. But we always find out the same thing. We can't."

"When they turn into Reds it just mocks our sorrow," Ion continued gently. "But you are still on a mission from the Empress, Sister Kurai. It hasn't ended just because Bishop Kanawa and Sister Reiko are—"

"I'm going to find the cure," Kurai said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to save my sister!"


	6. Bad Blood

Six Months Later

Alleys of Istvan

Reiko dragged the corpse down to the sewers where the other Reds were waiting. Then she made her way back up the ladder. She had smelled something odd up there and wanted to know what it was.

"…know it was here," a man's voice said. "I can smell those Reds easily, and it's even stronger when they've just fed. I'll kill her for what she's done."

"Calm down Darren," the other man, with long blond hair and blue eyes, said to his companion. "Sometimes Reds are mad, perhaps she was out of her mind…"

"No," Darren said. "These Reds are being organized by that one woman. The one who has affinity to Earth."

Reiko would have gasped if she was any less trained by her hunting skills. These men, these obvious _vampires, _were after _her!_

She scampered down the manhole and stared at her followers, the other Reds. She was their Priestess, their leader. "We move tonight."

House of Night

Kurai struck out at her brother with her sword. She stabbed and parried, trying to find an opening. But Ion was _fast._ He was behind her with a sword to her neck in an instant.

"Never let your guard down," the older methuselah insisted.

Her mind _had _been wandering. She had been thinking of the news reports. The murders near the old church, and near the House.

During the last six months, she had been made a Priestess-in-training by Neferet, the House's Priestess. She had trained and learned a lot under the woman's tutelage. A lot had changed since the night she had vowed to save her sister from the Reds.

But her resolve had not changed.

She smiled at Ion, sheathed her weapon and headed out into the streets of Istvan. She did this every day—searched for her missing sister.

Her tattoos were covered so no one would know what she was, as Methuselah were hated in Istvan after Gyula's death.

She was heading towards the sewers to search in the dark with just a flashlight and a sword for protection when she bumped into that circus boy—Darren Shan!

Darren hadn't noticed before, but she smelled amazing. Like cherry pie. It was all he could do to keep his stomach from rumbling. Kurda was already down in the sewers waiting. What was that nun—or was she?—doing near the sewers? Why did her blood smell different?

"Aren't you going to help me up?" she shifted slightly on the ground. She was dressed in the clothes of the Empire. Maybe she was moving soon. It made sense, with all the slaughter going on.

Darren extended a hand, and the woman took it. "I never told you my name. It's Kurai Fortuna. You seem like you're looking for someone."

"I-I'm trying to stop the murders," his voice shook when he spoke to her. He couldn't fathom why. Her blue eyes were staring into his without wavering.

"Me too," she said. "I am a Methuselah. You are a Vampire. Together we should be able to stop this."

She had no prejudice toward him like another Methuselah would. Her dark hair was tied back in the same way it had been when they first met, those cute pigtails.

Suddenly a loud noise came from the sewers and Reiko sprang forth, a corpse in her arms. That was the woman, the priestess of the demon Reds in the sewers!

Darren rushed forward angrily to end her, but Kurai was in his way.

As Kurai handled Darren, Kurda made his move on Reiko. He leaned down and pulled her into his arms.

"Reiko…remember me?" he whispered in her ear. She smelled of fresh grass and dirt. And blood, fresh blood.

"I…remember," Reiko whimpered. "You drained me…Kurda. Now I drain humans."  
"No…" Kurda said gently. "You've become savage. Someone is making you like this. The part of your soul within me is saddened by what you have become."

"Sh-She is?" Reiko whispered, bloodstained hand tangling in his hair. She was bleeding, her body was scratched and broken.

Kurda leaned over and licked her scratches, unintentionally tasting her blood. It was like white heat in his mouth, so perfect in taste, and like a double espresso in power. Much different from a regular human. He felt the unintentional imprint link them forever.

But he did not regret it.

"Let me go! Let me kill her!" Darren screamed.

"If you want to kill her, you have to kill me too!" shouted Kurai. Her affinity of spirit knocked him in the chest and caused him to collapse. "I wanted to be friends! But not if you keep trying to attack my tovaras!"

Darren calmed and stared at her. Kurai noticed that his aura was pulsing red in anger.

_He must hate me, _she reasoned. _I really liked him too. _

"Please Darren," she whispered. "Haven't you ever cared about someone that everyone else seemed to think wasn't worth saving?"

His brown eyes widened and all the red left his aura. He was sad now.

Kurai leaned in, and hugged him close.


End file.
